Peters



(No Model.) 7

' J. T. W. MOLAUGHLIN.

STEP LADDER WITH JUMP SHELF.

No. 382,102. Patented May 1 1888.

Nrrnn STATES JAMES T. WV. 1VIOLAUGHLIN,OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO LAFAYETTE CRULL, OF SAME PLACE.

STEP-LADDER WITH JUMP=SH ELF.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 170.39.21.02, dated May 1, 1888.

Application filed February 17, 1888. Serial NoSQG LEUI. (No'modeL) To all whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, JAMES T. WV. MOLAUGED LIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Harrisburg, in the county of Dauphin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in StepLadders with Jump-Shelf Attachment; and I do here- I by declare that the following is a full, clear,

and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to stepladders com monly used by painters, paper-hangers, and others, and has for its object an adjustable attachment to the ladder termed a j u mpshelf, or platform whereon may be conveniently supported a paint-pot, either at the level of the top landing of the ladder or at one or two lower levels, and which shelf may be folded away when the legs of the ladder are closed upon each other, as will be hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the step-ladder braced open as for use with my jump-shelf extended at the level of the top landing of the ladder, and also indicated as reversed and supported at a much lower level; and Fig. 2, a similar View with the jump shelf in position at medium height.

- Similar letters denote the same parts in the several views.

Letter A denotes the landing or top step of the ladder, which is secured firmly on the battens D by nails or wood screws. To the exterior sides of said battens are fixedly attached the main legs E of ladder, provided with the steps a, and also the folding legs F,

' .l, as shown.

pivoted to said battens by bolts K, and connected to the opposite legs E by the staypieces m n, pivoted thereto by screws or bolts m n, and joined together by the pivotal bolt The legs F are also joined to gether by braces 00 and W. Said legs, braces, landing, and steps are made in the usual man ner; but the battens D are rearwardly extended and joined together by the stop-ledge 'd, or, in lieu thereof, stops placed at the rear ends of the battens D, as rests on which the free end of the jump-shelf B is supported, as shown, when fully elevated. The jump-shelf B is provided with the cross-ledges B and B on its under side, the latter of which hooks over the stop-ledge d, for retaining said free end of the shelf securely in elevated place. The opposite end of said shelf has secured to the under side of it the cross-ledge B, which has joined thereto the braces O by staples b.

The braces O are preferably formed of a continuous round rod, bent into U form, and having its ends 0 flattened and pivoted to the legs F exteriorly. The middle of said rod is the axis on which the said shelf may be reversed when the shelf is reversed end for end and supported in low position, as shown by the indicated lines in Fig. 1. The cross-ledge S, or stops in lieu thereof, form an abutment against which the shelf B bears to maintain itself level, as indicated. When the shelf is jumped to be at midelevation, as shown in v Fig. 2, the inner end thereof is supported on the fixed cross-ledge S, or on lugs in lieu thereof. In this manner the weight of a vessel, H, serves to assist the shelf to retain crossledge B upon cross-ledge S. When the shelf is laid down freely, it folds close against the ladder, and when the pivoted stay-pieces m a are deflected upward the legs of the ladder and said shelf may be folded compactly together. The brace-rods C may be made as fiat pieces of iron, having their ends pivoted to the ends of the ledge B and to the sides of the legs F; but it is preferred to use a round rod to form both said braces as one rod, and

then the middle of the rod will answer as the 2. In a step-ladder, the shelf B, provided I the landing on ladder,for supporting said shelf withthe cross-ledgesB'Bfland withthebraces thereby direct or reversed, substantially as 0, formed of a continuous rod,bentinto U form, and for the purposes shown and described. having its middle joined by staples b to the JAMES T. W. MOLAUGHLIN.

5 ledge B, and having its ends pivoted to the Witnesses:

, legs F of the ladder, in combination with cross I v D. O. MAURER,

ledges or-stops S S at various elevations below THEOPHILUS WEAVER. 

